Posted on 06/16/2013 6:31:48 PM PDT by Borges
Bernard "Bernie" Sahlins, the co-founder and former owner of Second City and a crucial and essential innovator in the field of American comedy, died peacefully Sunday at his home, his wife Jane Nicholl Sahlins said. He was 90.
It is hard to overstate Sahlins' influence on the growth and innovation of sketch comedy, and on any entertainment that involves performers making things up based on suggestions from the audience. He also was famous for spotting big talents, quickly and early.
"Bernie's track record for discovering future Hollywood megastars was unmatched," said Tim Kazurinsky, one of Sahlin's numerous discoveries — a long list that also included the likes of Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Gilda Radner and James and John Belushi. "He probably was responsible for the greatest revolution in American comedy. You really can't exaggerate his contribution.
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
A man who knew talent.
This guy was there before Second City in the early 1950s with the Playwrights Theatre Club which involved Mike Nichols and Elaine May among others. Nichols was a key figure in modern chicago culture and NEVER brings up his roots in this city. Not at U of C not at WFMT where he was an early D.J. and not at the proto Second City ventures. He seems embarrassed by it.
Only a passing mention of SCTV and no mention of anybody from the show at all. A number of great people came out of that show as well; some of Rick Moranis’s stuff is still hilarious, and the “Count Floyd” stuff still holds up too.
Oops, there’s John Candy. He would have been great in “A Confederacy of Dunces”, which was being made when he died.
SCTV was from the Toronto-based Second City.
God, did I love going downtown, getting drunk, and heckling these people. They always handed my ass back to me in a hat, which made it even more fun.
wow.. what a party he must have thrown.
Improv at it’s best. One reason I loved to visit Chicago.
RIP.
SCTV was one of the funniest most original shows ever.....it was everything SNL tries to be
SCTV in its brief time was far funnier than SNL. No comparison. People who know John Candy from his awful movies should have seen him in SCTV.
Sahlins was the producer of the SCTV television show, even though it was filmed in Canada.
Also “ The Committee” in San Francisco.
I live close to SF, I’ll check it out.
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